Microsoft's blockbuster announcement that it has purchased ZeniMax Media, which includes Bethesda Game Studios, has rocked the gaming world. It has completely changed the complexion of the next-generation console war, and seemingly solves Xbox's console exclusivity problem in one fell swoop. However, the acquisition also creates some interesting questions for some of the other studios Microsoft has acquired over the past few years.
In particular, Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda may mean some interesting things for Obsidian Entertainment. In the past, Obsidian had a working relationship with Bethesda, with the companies collaborating on things like Fallout: New Vegas. But in recent years, Obsidian has been making games that appear to be spiritual successors of sorts to Bethesda's, with The Outer Worlds mirroring Fallout, and the upcoming Avowed seemingly taking a page out of The Elder Scrolls playbook. But now that both companies are under the Xbox umbrella, some may be wondering what it all means for Obsidian and games like Avowed.
Here is what Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda means for Obsidian and its upcoming RPG Avowed.
Xbox is Now THE Console for Western RPGs
Xbox owning both Obsidian and Bethesda means that it is the console for western RPGs. Upcoming games like The Elder Scrolls 6 and Avowed will both potentially be console exclusive to Xbox Series X, not to mention any potential Outer Worlds sequels or Bethesda's Starfield. Having console exclusivity for these massive games is a big deal, as Xbox will likely still get some of the other major third-party western RPGs that are on the way, like games from Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red. And that's not even mentioning other Xbox exclusive western RPGs on the way, like Playground Games' Fable reboot.
With the acquisitions of Bethesda and Obsidian, Microsoft has effectively cornered the western RPG market, and it will definitely be interesting to see if Sony has any kind of counterattack planned for the PS5.
Fallout: New Vegas 2
Obsidian was quick to comment on the possibility of Fallout: New Vegas 2 now that Microsoft owns Bethesda and the Fallout franchise. Responding to a fan on Twitter, Obsidian shared a "shrug" emoji, seemingly hinting that it is open to the idea. But right now, Obsidian is busy at work on Grounded, its Honey, I Shrunk the Kids-style survival game, as well as the Avowed first-person RPG. Avowed is a brand new series, though, and there's no denying that it lacks the same brand recognition as the Fallout franchise, so maybe Obsidian will focus some of its resources on a potential New Vegas 2 instead if given the opportunity.
The potential to create Fallout: New Vegas 2 also calls into question the future of The Outer Worlds. Why bother with The Outer Worlds 2 when Obsidian could potentially just make New Vegas 2 instead?
Original IP for Filling the Gap
Obsidian's original IP Avowed and The Outer Worlds may potentially be in jeopardy now that Microsoft owns Bethesda, but that's not necessarily the case. After all, Bethesda takes a significant amount of time to release new main series entries in its major franchises, with The Elder Scrolls 6 not expected to come until well after Skyrim has already been out for a decade. It's safe to say that many fans would not mind having an alternative to play while they wait for Bethesda to release its new games.
So while Avowed is clearly inspired by The Elder Scrolls and The Outer Worlds is clearly inspired by Fallout, it seems more likely that Obsidian will be given the chance to cultivate its own IP, which will go a long way in strengthening the Xbox brand in general. After all, why would Microsoft want just one major fantasy RPG franchise on its consoles when it could have all of them?